Political parties in Kerala who are opposing the Rs.10.5 billion ($241 million) Smart City project have been given a rebuff by over 6,000 online supporters from around the world who favour the venture.

The proposal, planned in Kochi and to be executed by the Dubai Internet City, has been hanging fire after the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M), some dissident Congress leaders and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) opposed it alleging large-scale corruption.

The government said the project would provide a record 33,000 new jobs in the field of information technology in 10 years.

Fed up with the political wrangling, some information technology professionals posted a petition, written by K.E. Anuraj, on the website petitiononline.com, pleading in favour of the Smart City project and asking political parties not to interfere.

The petition received an astonishing 6,063 replies from around the world in its support. And the number of petitions has been increasing by the minute.

"Kick out the CPI-M. We want to work in our state. A request to political parties - Live and let others live. Your names are already black listed. Try to correct yourself as early as possible. 'Acchu mama', (Achuthanandan) is the real trouble out here," read some of the statements, posted mostly by young IT professionals.

Trouble began after Chief Minister Oommen Chandy announced early this month that the cabinet had cleared the project and a memorandum of understanding would be inked soon with the Dubai Internet City in Dubai.

The first to oppose the project was opposition leader and CPI-M politburo member V.S. Achuthanandan who termed the project a total rip off as it involved large- scale corruption, especially in the sale of prime land at Kochi.

Joining hands with Achuthanandan were Congress legislators M.P. Gangadharan and D. Sugathan who owe allegiance to dissident Congress leader K. Karunakaran. They alleged that Chandy had accumulated millions of rupees by way of commissions in the deal.

The BJP also joined the CPI (M) and the Congress leaders in opposing the scheme.

However, Chandy is adamant that the project will take off. He is planning to call an all-party meeting to clear any doubts over the venture.